


Oni Yume

by NanielaVnZ



Category: Deemo (Video Games), ノラガミ | Noragami (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Deemo AU, Deemo's storyline spoiler warning, Gen, Human AU of sorts, Oni and the Masked One can be considered characters too right?, Pure and unadulterated sibling and family feels, might have major character deaths
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 06:51:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16781824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanielaVnZ/pseuds/NanielaVnZ
Summary: “You're weird.” A change in her train of thought made her comment. The being turned his attention to her, halting briefly on painting a small bush of leaves, and tilting his head in what she'd read as curiosity. “You look almost like one of those monsters in horror games.”There was a moment of silence then, where they stared at each other. Her comment didn't seem to really sink in on him. Maybe he didn't understand her after all.“I'll call you… Oni.” Her legs hung from the side of the altar, swinging playfully over the water's surface. She wasn't smiling, but was also not quite as upset as she was the other day. “It's short, and monstrous enough. I think it fits you.”︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵A Noragami AU, based in the popular rhythm game "Deemo".





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work contains spoilers about Deemo's storyline, so if you want to enjoy the game's experience at its fullest, I'd suggest you go do it first before reading this. Otherwise, it's a completely different story in a similar, if not the same, setting. I took the liberty of changing a lot, for the sake of keeping the characters as... In-character? as possible.
> 
> For an enhancement on the reading process, please check the chapters' titles for some quality Deemo Soundtracks™. One day, eventually, I'll make artwork to complement this.

**Prologue  
** _[Lonely Artist](https://youtu.be/h3_Xyes9FnE) _

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

An artist lingered under the shadows of his fate, painting landscapes and tall trees, and memories of a happy family that didn’t belong to him. Somewhere he didn’t belong.

He didn’t remember where did he belong, overall. Did he even remember anything?

Sometimes, his brush would paint violent streaks of red anger or blue sadness; when the feeling of isolation dragged so far and for so long he could bear it no longer.

But even his eyes couldn’t see what he had painted, not its beauty nor its mistakes.

It was useless, and so, so lonely. But he couldn’t stop, no matter how meaningless it was.

Meaningless, until she came here, to this place.

The small girl without a name, who belonged to a family no more.

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small note: Yes, these chapters will all be extremely short. Since the original story itself is meant to be told through music pieces and art and the imagination of the player, I opted to simulate this by giving only short pieces of events. It IS meant to make the readers guess what really is going on on their own. So feel free to theorize all you wish, and stick to the end to see if your suppositions were true!


	2. Picture One

**Picture One  
** _[Dream](https://youtu.be/nJQOb0KTRsQ) _

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

...She felt an approach. Someone without a being, that much she could tell even when her eyes were still tightly shut.

And when she did open them, she recognized his essence immediately, somehow. Not someone she could quite recall, and yet there still was a lingering feeling as if she knew him from the depths of her heart.

It was… conflicting. Because she didn’t feel entirely happy with his presence, but also not fully disgusted either.

She hated him, but also not at all. Who was this person anyway?

He seemed to acknowledge her conflict with his careful approach— _not friendly, rather cautious_ —she couldn’t tell if he hated her on the same wavelength, unable to see his gaze when his eyes closed and all. She couldn't even read his neutral, faceless expression.

He was just a shadowed, slender figure that appeared more of a youkai than an actual person. He didn't even seem capable of speaking.

Did he have any sense of logical thinking?

Her eyes traveled to the high up ceiling, where the dimmest light filtered from an opened window that gave to the surface. Did she fall all the way from up there?

_...Was that her only way to return?_

“...I want to go home.”

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**


	3. Picture Two

**Picture Two  
** _[Welcome](https://youtu.be/qbaxAhk4Q38) _

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

_I want to go home._

It wasn't a full lie. Although she remembered next to nothing, her yearning for going back to an old routine and to the safety of a home still lingered deep within.

But the thought of climbing up to the surface felt empty, almost like the illusion of getting back would break as instantly as she reached for the light.

She didn't want to stay in this place though. As comforting as it seemed, it also carried a sense of bitter. 

The being who never stopped from his painting began to draw the strokes of a small plant’s trunk, thickening it, making it grow further on top of the altar it was situated, right under the dim light of her exit and in the center of the whole place. It was as if he was making an effort to paint up a tree, tall enough to help her reach up there.

Did he really understand what she had just requested? But even so, trees never grew this fast. It'd take several hundred years or more for it to reach a height so immense.

“Why are you trying so hard? It’s not like I’ll dislike you any less.”

But he didn’t stop. Perhaps, he didn’t really care. It was likely his efforts were just done to rid of her hostile presence from this personal haven.

 _This place…_ She decided to ignore him, and go on her way to investigate. It was like a big underground sanctuary filled with nature all around, a pool of warm water under her feet surrounding the altar where the being was working so hard.

Right on the corner, a set of stairs led to a small study, and under a dim yellowish light she could see a library full of artbooks and small plants and… _there was a person in there_ , behind a desk. A person wearing a full cloak and a mask with a big eye painted on it, seemingly busy writing down something on their big notebook.

“Do not involve me in your affairs.” They said, without looking up from their work.

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**


	4. Picture Three

**Picture Three  
** _[Sairai](https://youtu.be/rn4eRhlnrWY) _ **  
**

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

She decided to keep distance from the Masked One, ever since they so harshly rejected her presence in that room.

Not like she had any real interest on finding out what was their deal.

Instead, she settled for observing the other being doing his hard work painting the tree up, giving it more life with each stroke.

He'd made a surprisingly big progress too. Who would have imagined you could make a tree grow out of paintbrushes?

“You're weird.” A change in her train of thought made her comment. The being turned his attention to her, halting briefly on painting a small bush of leaves and tilting his head in what she’d read as curiosity. “You look almost like one of those monsters in horror games.”

There was a moment of silence then, where they stared at each other. Her comment didn't seem to really sink in on him. Maybe he didn't understand her after all.

“I'll call you… _Oni_.” Her legs hung from the side of the altar, swinging playfully over the water's surface. She wasn't smiling, but was also not quite as upset as she was the other day. “It's short, and monstrous enough. I think it fits you.”

There was a small instant where she caught him hang his head for a few seconds, before returning to his task of painting the greenery. It almost emulated an expression of shame.

Maybe he did understand her a little.

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**


	5. Picture Four

**Picture Four**   
_[Mellow](https://youtu.be/5VwdhLpwyJg) _

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

She caught herself crying a little.

A few tears rolled down her cheeks, as her hand had lingered on the surface of the already grown tree.

She felt a longing, alien to the neutral facade she'd kept herself under through all her time spent in this beautiful, but lonely place.

_ How much time has passed since she fell here? And how long would it take for her to go back home? _

Whatever her life was out there, whoever her family was, she missed it all and everyone. But there was a slim hunch of dread that crept up from the corner of her mind, almost as if it told her it wasn't a good idea trying to remember about herself.

Something that told her perhaps she wouldn't like what she'd find up there, in the real world.

A couple of slender fingers brushed the top of her head, and she turned slightly to glance at the kind monster that tried to comfort her in her grief.

It was so out of character to allow herself be comforted by him, but at that instant she really didn't care.

She curled up against the tree's feet and buried her crying face into her hands, feeling a little of shame from letting out like this.

From the corner that led to the stairs, the Masked One observed the scene silently. Something was muttered under their breath, muffled further by their mask, but it didn't reach the grieving girl at all.

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**


	6. Picture Five

**Picture Five  
** _[Expansion](https://youtu.be/SSmkHP1vWjM) _

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

On the corner opposite to the place she found first, there was yet another set of stairs leading up to a small room, quite different from the study where the Masked One locked themselves in.

A table held the only lamp illuminating dimly the whole room, that was still a bit dark even with the windows showing the whole sanctuary.

To be fair though the tree was so tall now, it made sense the leaves would filter the light giving to this lobby.

There was also a chair with a puppy doll sitting on it, but it strangely made her feel a little uncomfortable. So she opted to avoid it.

She strolled along while looking at the pictures hanging on the walls. They were beautifully drawn portraits, though she couldn't recognize any of the people there. They couldn't be of real people anyway, if it was art made in a surreal place like this.

Her strolling paused when her eyes caught on a big picture of a darkened hall. Hyperrealism made it seem like she could walk in, but it was just as realistic as a paint could get.

_ Though if it was painted by Oni as well, and he was currently painting up a real tree, then perhaps… _

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**


	7. Picture Six

**Picture Six** _**  
** [Third Day of Suspense](https://youtu.be/LgUYY7Mqgbw) _

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

_The tree wasn't growing anymore._

No matter how much paint Oni tried to apply to make it bigger, it was as if the trick wasn't working any further. The leaves he tried to paint withered away, and the branches he tried to model simply dried up and fell. _What was going on?_

She felt herself grow a bit anxious, desperate at the thought of ending up trapped here forever. She couldn't allow that.

She searched every corner of the sanctuary, looking for any hint that could lead her to the reason for the tree's stopped growth, and along her did Oni follow up close, as if hoping she'd be successful.

It wasn't until she caught onto the empty chair in the lobby room that she had noticed the puppy doll moved from its place, settled on the floor right under the big paint of the dark alley, that she realized perhaps her last thought hadn't been so far fetched.

So she reached for the paint, and her fingers passed through the canvas. Oni was the first to step inside, as if securing her safety, then helped her up into the paint, taking her hand and leading her further through the hall—down the following stairs, through another door.

They had found their way to another sanctuary.

Right overhead, the roots of the tree could be seen coming through the transparent ceiling, trapped within a tangle of spiky parasitic branches. Definitely the cause of the halted growth, painted tree or not.

From the corner of her eye she noticed a slender hand reaching to her, holding up a brush for her to take. Her surprised burgundy gaze turned up to the creature, as he placed his silent offer while holding up his own brush on the other hand.

_...Was he asking for her help?_

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**


	8. Picture Seven

**Picture Seven  
**[ __](Picture%20Seven%20%20%E2%80%9CWhy%20are%20you%20so%20intent%20on%20leaving?%E2%80%9D%20%20She%20glanced%20up%20from%20her%20work,%20a%20small%20blue%20flower%20she%20was%20painting%20on%20the%20tree%E2%80%99s%20feet.%20She%20found%20out%20that%20her%20own%20art%20could%20become%20just%20as%20real%20as%20Oni%E2%80%99s,%20so%20she%20took%20on%20the%20task%20of%20painting%20a%20flowerbed%20to%20put%20a%20bit%20of%20color%20on%20the%20altar.%20%20That%20is,%20until%20the%20Masked%20One%20approached%20her%20with%20annoyance%20clear%20in%20their%20voice.%20%20%E2%80%9CDon't%20you%20get%20it?%20There's%20nothing%20for%20you%20out%20there.%20No%20one%20for%20you%20out%20there.%20You%20will%20be%20no%20more%20than%20a%20stray%20cat.%E2%80%9D%20%20%E2%80%9CI%20have%20a%20family%20and%20a%20home%20I%20wish%20to%20return%20to.%E2%80%9D%20%20%E2%80%9CYou%20don't.%E2%80%9D%20They%20insisted.%20%E2%80%9CYou%20never%20really%20had,%20and%20you%20won't%20have%20it%20anymore.%E2%80%9D%20%20Somehow,%20their%20words%20felt%20real.%20But%20she%20tried%20to%20pay%20no%20heed,%20so%20she%20turned%20back%20to%20the%20flower,%20for%20a%20moment%20just%20staring%20at%20it.%20%20%E2%80%9CAre%20you%20going%20to%20leave%20Oni%20on%20his%20own%20again?%E2%80%9D%20%20She%20grabbed%20her%20brush,%20and%20continued%20painting%20the%20petals%20of%20her%20myosotis.%20%E2%80%9CI%20don't%20really%20care%20for%20Oni.%20He's%20nothing%20to%20me.%E2%80%9D%20%20%E2%80%9CYou%20do.%E2%80%9D%20They%20insisted,%20before%20turning%20away%20and%20leaving%20with%20a%20final%20thought.%20%E2%80%9CMore%20than%20you%20think.%E2%80%9D) _[Speak of a Wicked Fate](https://youtu.be/pgAX5Oodc1k) **  
**_

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

“Why are you so intent on leaving?”

She glanced up from her work, a small blue flower she was painting on the tree’s feet. She found out that her own art could become just as real as Oni’s, so she took on the task of painting a flowerbed to put a bit of color on the altar.

That is, until the Masked One approached her with annoyance clear in their voice.

“Don't you get it? There's nothing for you out there. No one for you out there anymore. You will be no more than a stray.”

“I have a family and a home I wish to return to.”

“You don't.” They insisted. “You never really had, and now you never will.”

Somehow, their words felt real. But she tried to pay no heed, so she turned back to the flower, for a moment just staring at it blankly.

“Are you going to leave Oni on his own again, then?”

She grabbed her brush tightly, and continued painting the petals of her myosotis. “I don't really care for Oni. He means nothing to me.”

“He does.” They insisted with a softer voice this time, almost as if there was a little secret fondness for the being hidden between their monotone syllables. They turned away then, leaving with a final thought for the growing artist. “More than you think.”

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**


End file.
